Wednesday, 24 October 2007

PLAY 2 PLAY on DVD

There was a package waiting for me in my mailbox this morning. I immediately recognized the Japanese express cardboard envelope. A CD had also arrived: Gustav Mahler and the late Viennese School chamber music (Mahler's only chamber music work, a single movement for piano and string trio. I had found it on the internet, but it took some time before I could find a CD release)

I didn’t expect the delivery from Japan to be so quick. At last I would be able to show it to the people who would never see it otherwise. To show it to my French connection, Christophe and Isabelle who had played for the music from the other side of the globe.

It seems that the DVD experience with Noism will not be a happy one. If NINA had a good sound, but was filmed from too far a distance, PLAY 2 PLAY on the contrary, was beautifully shot, but the music seems to be played from a nearby hall. They could have used a separate track and mix it with the live caption… We hear the people coughing and the dancers walking on stage more distinctively than the music.

To crown my disappointment, there were some mistakes in spelling of the chapter titles: waltz became walts and the German word ‘ewig’ turn into ewing. Ironically, they added the English translation so non German-speaking people might understand the word.

The only good thing is that they didn’t use that horrible yellow colour on both sides of the sleeve cover.

Sighs, sighs, sighs…

A deep breath is needed. I’m going to start writing the three movements for Maëlle.

I have the tracks ready. Just need to put them together and record the piano.

Ah my beloved piano!!!!

The good news is that my father’s opera L'Arbalète magique will be performed at the Théâtre du Soleil – and not Théâtre de la Tempête, as I wrote it a few days ago.

Arianne Mnouchkine agreed to program it for the next season. More than kewl!